Wearing protective face mask plays a vital role in helping to mitigate the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2 however, for some it has caused flareups in acne breakouts. Just as a disclaimer, I am not saying that we shouldn’t wear face masks rather, I will be talking about what causes these flareups and some things we can do to prevent and mindfully treat it.
Wearing a mask for a prolong period of time creates an imbalanced environment on the skin therefore, harboring bacteria that causes acne. An increase in temperature increases the rate of sebum excretion while the increase in humidity causes swelling of epidermal keratinocytes therefore causing acne aggravation (Han, Shi, Chen & Zhang, 2020). Ultimately, these factors all contribute to a damaged skin barrier. For those who already suffer from severe to acute acne, or if this is one of these rare occasions (you are blessed), it can quite annoying especially if nothing you are trying seems to work. If you are struggling to keep your breakouts at bay, here are a few things that may help to prevent it.
Before you go bombarding your skin with product after product, make sure you take the time to listen to what your skin is telling you. It is a lot smarter than you think and can regulate itself. First, identify what kind of acne you have. Treatment will vary depending on the type. Next, do not over wash and over exfoliate. Again, your skin is smart and all it needs is a little nourishing. Avoid using physical or chemical exfoliates while your skin is inflamed, this will only cause more irritation. Instead, wash with a mild cleanser twice a day and incorporate products with Ceramides.
Ceramides are effective in acne treatment because they help in restoring the skin’s barrier as they “play a crucial role in the stratum corneum structure and the regulation of skin barrier homeostasis” (Lynde, Andriessen, et. Al., 2014). An over excretion of sebum is your skin trying to compensate for water loss. Ceramides locks in hydration and maintains homeostasis to counter the increase in precipitation under your mask therefore, decreasing sebum output. Once the inflammation is lessened then you can try to slowly incorporate salicylic acid, retinoids, or benzoyl peroxide.
References:
Han, C., Shi, J., Chen, Y., & Zhang, Z. (2020). Increased flare of acne caused by long‐time mask wearing during COVID ‐19 pandemic among general population. Dermatologic Therapy, 33(4). doi:10.1111/dth.13704
Lynde, C. W., Andriessen, A., Barankin, B., Gannes, G. D., Gulliver, W., Haber, R., McCuaig, C., Rajan, P., Skotnicki, S. P., Thomas, R., Toole, J., & Vender, R. (2014). Moisturizers and Ceramide-containing Moisturizers May Offer Concomitant Therapy with Benefits. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 7(3), 18–26.
Hey Lajessie, this is such a relevant and interesting topic that you have brought in for discussion. I myself have been a victim of maskne and found myself getting frustrated as I am already a skincare fanatic who spends more money on products than I should. I was relieved to see that you had mentioned ceramides as being a good product for regulating the homeostasis of the skin barrier because many of the products I have incorporated into my routine contain this ingredient.
ReplyDeleteIt was also interesting that you had mentioned salicylic acid as one of the ingredients for fighting and preventing maskne. Research has found that salicylic acid is good for exfoliating the stratum corneum which in turn makes it a good peeling agent (Arif, T, 2015). I have seen a product that used salicylic acid as an ingredient in a spray that can be used on masks. Maybe this could be a good solution to the maskne problem because it could prevent it from even happening in the first place.
References
Arif, T. (2015). Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: A comprehensive review. Clinical,
Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. doi:10.2147/ccid.s84765
Ever since having to wear a mask, I have been realizing my skin is breaking out much more than ever before and it is very frustrating. I understand masks are important, but the physical effects on our skin can be damaging and annoying. For me I was my face after wearing a mask for a prolonged amount of time and I also use clindamycin. The article I found discovered that clindamycin gel is effective, safe and well tolerated for mild acne. So I hope this helps people that were looking for a topical product to help with annoying breakouts!
ReplyDeleteEichenfield LF, Krakowski AC. Moderate to severe acne in adolescents with skin of color: benefits of a fixed combination clindamycin phosphate 1.2% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% aqueous gel. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology : JDD. 2012 Jul;11(7):818-824.
I agree with Marlee. This is definitely a relevant topic. I, too, have been experiencing increasing issues with my skin. Although disheartening, I understand that wearing masks is undoubtebly changing the microbiome that would typically reside there sans mask. Unfortuntately, the masks (and maskne) will be here to stay as long as we are all valiantly trying to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. However, a brightside to this tale is that our microbiomes are constantly changing and adapting and I agree with you. Our skin is very good at regulating itself, and hopefully it will be able to overcome the new enviornmental changes and get back to normal without too many outside treatements. It would be interesting to see if different types of masks (i.e. cloth, disposable, etc.) had a different effect on what type of acne was occuring. Do you think mask type could be a factor?
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